(BCTV) - Part 1
For the past two months, B.C. has been embroiled in the
controversy over those three boatloads of illegal migrants that
were intercepted off the coast. We've heard the calls for tougher
laws and complaints that Canada is seen around the world as a
"soft touch" when it comes to illegal immigration. But while the
effect of human smuggling on B.C. is profound, the fact is, for
most of these would-be migrants, this province is just a
stop-over. And as we continue our News Hour investigation into
their escape from Fujian, Ted Chernecki reports this week from the
metropolis that for many is journey's end: New York City.
Ted Chernecki, reporting: "New York City, still a beacon of
hope for thousands of immigrants, many of them coming from British
Columbia. Almost in the shadow of the World Trade Centre, there is
another trade going on...one of the most infamous kind. Chinese
migrants from British Columbia are being bought and sold as slaves
in the slave trade of the new millennium."
Peter Kwong, U.S. Asian Studies professor: "Here in New York
City, you have a huge market for cheap labour, for vulnerable
cheap labour."
Ted Chernecki, reporting: "From high above Manhattan's upper
east side, Professor Peter Kwong, an expert on Asia American
studies. He's written books and produced documentaries about the
Fujian migrants."
Peter Kwong, U.S. Asian Studies professor: "Most illegals
coming from Fujian in the last ten, fifteen years, have been
coming to New York."
Ted Chernecki, reporting: "And how. This is Chinatown, in the
heart of New York City. It's one of three large Chinese districts
within a six kilometer radius around Manhattan. Population here:
unknown. That's because there are so many illegals. However, it is
estimated that the number of Chinese migrants from Fujian province
has now reached a half a million. Behind me is old Chinatown in
New York City...been there for years. Everything this way is what
locals call "Communist Chinatown". Virtually every resident living
there is from Fujian province. It is the fastest growing sector of
Chinatown and many of the arrivals are coming from Canada...And
there is a favourite point of entry.
Five-hundred kilometers north of New York City, an RCMP boat
patrols the St. Lawrence River. On the left of your screen,
Canada. On the right, the Awkwassasnee Indian Reserve and a
gateway to the United States. A long suspension bridge connects to
the two countries...but it's here down below where police patrol
eight months of the year looking for smugglers."
Cpl. Gilles Tougat, Cornwall RCMP: "Back in the early 90's, the
main commodity was mainly cigarettes and liquor. Now, we've seen
that there's more and more an emphasis on the smuggling of aliens.
They look at it as a commodity obviously."
Ted Chernecki, reporting: "Mohawk Indian land straddles
Ontario, Quebec and New York state...geography ideal for smuggling
and a problem for police."
Cpl. Gilles Tougat, Cornwall RCMP: "It is quite hard for us to
control the whole lake at the same time. We are trying to do the
best we can but this is quite a vast area to cover with two
boats."
Ted Chernecki, reporting: "A few kilometers to the south, a
wing of the U.S. Immigration Service on border patrol. They are
here on Interstate 89...the main highway leading to New York
City."
Ben Deluca, US border patrol: "What we do periodically is we
set up a border patrol checkpoint operation. Then we stop all
southbound traffic coming from and around the border area. There's
an awful lot of Asian smuggling going on through the Akwasasne
Indian Reservation coming from Toronto, or even Vancouver
originally, crossing through the indian reservation and heading to
New York City."
Ted Chernecki, reporting: "Late last year, U.S. Immigration,
with the help of Canadian and tribal police, arrested 35 alleged
smugglers - almost half of them from Canada. Police say these
people were responsible for bringing three-thousand six-hundred
illegal migrants into the states and they stood to make
170-million dollars. But many migrants slip through the net and
head down the road to New York. Tomorrow on the News Hour, life in
New York City ?one of unbelievable living conditions and virtual
slavery in any one of the city's many
sweatshops."